


Atlantis

by Caleo_54w



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, hope you like it, was a present for a very important person ;)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 14:23:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 6,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17920493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caleo_54w/pseuds/Caleo_54w
Summary: Well, Percy and Annabeth go on another mission. But there is also a little surprise in the end. ;)





	1. Prolog

"Why are we here again?"  
"To find a clue to the Poseidon statue of the Atlantians, seaweed brain  
"But why are we in Germany again? And exactly for that in Dresden?"  
"We received an order in Camp-Halfblood, which sent us here. We are supposed to examine the city and its surroundings for the secret Poseidon statue of the Atlantians," Annabeth explained to her friend.  
A few weeks ago, Percy had always believed that Atlantis was only an invention and not real, but how much he had been wrong when the oracle revealed the truth. And the fact that Chiron knew about Atlantis' existence didn't make things any better. After all the adventures Percy had already experienced on behalf of the gods, sometimes more sometimes less willingly, he thought he had experienced everything.  
How wrong he had been.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You will see. There will be no other chapter summary as the text speaks for itself. And I don't know what I should write every single time. Whatsoever, I hope you like it.

Now they stood here on the Theaterplatz in front of the Semper Opera House. It was a wonderful evening, the sky was cloudless and shone in a strong blue, which somehow reminded Percy of the Atlantic Ocean. In front of them, the Semper Opera towered, illuminated by numerous lanterns that bathed the theatre in a golden light.  
"We should begin here with our vision, said the oracle," said Annabeth and dragged Percy into the building.  
"Two tickets for Antigone, please." Annabeth bought the tickets and they made their way to the performance hall. "Wow," Percy thought when he saw the hall at the Semper Opera, "but they really didn't save anything here." "Percy, did you know that the opera was named after its architect 'Gottfried Semper'," Annabeth said as she gazed in amazement at the large golden hall, which filled with time.  
"What is Antigone all about again," asked Percy.  
He looked at the brochure in his hand: "Tonight 'Antigone'".  
And then the lights went out, the hall slowly fell silent and the curtain opened...


	3. Chapter 2

"And that's why the locals call it the 'blue miracle'," Annabeth explained as they walked under the bridge along the Danube.  
"Do we want to go to the restaurant there? I'm so hungry," said Percy, pointing to the restaurant on his right. Annabeth hadn't noticed it at all, but when Percy mentioned it, she began to feel hungry. They sat down in the restaurant. Percy ordered a Coke and a Pizza while he listened to the Danube. "Maybe the water spirits from the Danube will give me a clue," he thought. He would try it later. Annabeth also ordered a Coke and a Cesar Salad. Annabeth put her hands in Percys.  
She put them deep into his sea green eyes, which reminded her of a seal baby as always. Percy looked very beautiful today. With his light blue ripped washed jeans, his grey sneakers, and his light grey sweatshirt, under which he wore a long white T-shirt.   
Percy looked into his girlfriend's storm-grey eyes. He could so easily get lost in it. Annabeth sat in front of him, her golden Cinderella curls looked particularly beautiful today through the light, which was much through the window. Annabeth wore her orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, a red jacket and washed jeans. Her blue cap lay next to her on the table. Percy bent over and kissed his girlfriend.   
"What did you think of the play," asked Annabeth.  
"Well, I never really understand why they always have to kill each other," Percy replied.  
"I'll explain it to you again tonight at the hotel. Did you see or feel anything when we walked under the bridge?  
"No, not really. Did you?  
"No, neither did I. I guess it was a dead end," Annabeth replied.  
A young woman in a dark sleeveless robe, with golden hair tied to a ponytail, approached Percy and Annabeth's table.  
"Greet Perseus Jackson!" At this greeting Percy's right hand slipped quickly into his jeans. "My name is Hekate. On your search for the Poseidon statue of the Atlantians, I would like to help you. Allegedly Duke Moritz of Saxony, a son of Diana, is said to have hidden a map at Moritzburg Castle that has something to do with Atlantis," Hekate told a very confused looking Percy. "And here I have a small dowry, which will certainly be of use to you on your journey." She handed Percy some packs of 'Oreo' cookies. Before Percy opened her mouth, Hekate had disappeared again.  
"Ok, thanks for the info. And the cookies," asked Percy.  
"The cookies must be magical. After all, Hekate is the goddess of magic. Now we have a new clue," Annabeth said, "It could get worse. Look, here comes our food."  
Annabeth was right. With this new insight, Percy and Annabeth tasted their food much better that day. After dinner, they enjoyed the rest of the day together, without any monster attacks.


	4. Chapter 3

"No! Never again! That was the worst thing I've ever experienced," Percy said upset. "Never again. I have already experienced a lot. I have already held heaven, beaten myself in the Colosseum in Rome and beaten enchanted crocodiles. But this, no. Just no."   
Percy stared at the little dragon they had discovered on the walk around the Fasanenschlösschen. Actually, Percy and Annabeth had discovered a dragon egg on their walk. But when Annabeth lifted it up, it suddenly moved. It wobbled and small cracks appeared on the shell. Then a little dragon baby hatched out of the egg, much to the astonishment of Percy and Annabeth. They hadn't found a map but a baby dragon. Thank God there were no other walkers nearby because it would have seemed strange to suddenly discover two young adults with a dragon baby. The transport back to the hotel had been difficult, but somehow it worked.  
"Oh, don't be so upset Percy," said Annabeth, who just came out of the bathroom of her shared hotel room and dried her blond hair with a towel. She wore red pajamas that emphasized her hair and eyes. After arriving at the hotel, they use an iris message in their bathroom to contact Chiron. He then told them that the Python had laid eggs. Yes, the Python killed by Apollo at the Oracle of Delphi. Percy groaned when he heard it. So they had found a young Python who had chosen Annabeth as his foster mother.  
Annabeth sat down next to Percy lying on the bed. Little Python jumped into Annabeth's lap. He rolled up, put his tail around him and buried his head under one of his wings.   
"Look how peacefully he sleeps," said Annabeth.  
"He? Why 'he' and not 'she'?"  
"Yes, he," Annabeth replied. "I have a hunch, and until we get back to camp, and I can consult Chiron, he remains a 'he'."  
"My feeling tells me it's no use discussing it with you, is it?" asked Percy.  
"Exactly!  
"All right," Percy sighed. His eyes glided over Annabeth's back. After she laid the sleeping dragon on the floor next to her bed, she turned back to Percy.  
"How do we keep the dragon inconspicuous," Percy asked.  
"I have an idea," Annabeth replied. "If I'm right and Hekate's cookies are enchanted," she said and threw half an Oreo cookie to little Python. He looked up, ate him and with a blop he turned into a little Bernese Sennwelpen. Next to him appeared a transport box, leash, and collar.  
"Are your questions answered?"  
Percy nodded. "God, he's cute."  
Annabeth bent over Percy and kissed him.


	5. Chapter 4

It was a beautiful, warm evening. There was a sweet smell in the air. On the banks of the Elbe, the buildings were illuminated by various spotlights, which bathed the entire building in a golden light.  
Before they left for Pillnitz Castle tomorrow, Annabeth and Percy decided to take a little walk along the banks of the Elbe to enjoy the beautiful evening. The Oreos of Hekate is still transforming Draco into a small Bernese Sennwelpen. They only had to give him a cookie in the evening and then the matter was settled.  
They sat down on a bench and looked at the banks of the Elbe. Annabeth wore her orange camp half-blood shirt and hot pants. Percy wore blue jeans and he also wore his orange camp half-blood shirt. Percy put his arm around Annabeth. Annabeth put her head on Percy's shoulder as they watched the Danube. 

Percy came out of the bathroom, wearing his pajamas. Annabeth was already in bed, next to her on the bedside Draco slept quietly and peacefully. She was immersed in her laptop to find out as much information as possible for tomorrow if they would leave for Pillnitz. As she had found out in her laptop, Daedalus had not only written blueprints but also e-books about almost everything. In a book, she found out that 'August the Strong' had been a descendant of a son of Atlas. The son had acquired Pillnitz Castle. She looked up as she stood in front of Percy, whereupon she collapsed her laptop and laid it on the dessert.  
"Come to bed, algae brain."  
Percy grinned.  
He went to bed and Annabeth pulled his arm towards him so that Percy was now lying behind her. Annabeth had a pleasant feeling of warmth and security. After less than two minutes they both fell asleep peacefully...


	6. Chapter 5

Annabeth and Percy strolled through the garden of Schloss Pillnitz. They enjoyed the tickle of the sun on their skin and the fact that they had been spared monster attacks since the beginning of their mission didn't bother them anymore. On the contrary, they found their time together a very nice gift.  
Draco walked in front of them on a leash and occasionally sniffed at a few flowers along the way or tried to catch one of the many bees flying around. Annabeth had to rebuke Draco from time to time, but on the whole the behaviour of the young Python had improved a lot.  
They turned from the open path into a small, somewhat darker part of the garden. The trees formed a dense ceiling above them, almost like their own dark green sky. As Annabeth and Percy walked along the path, they noticed the numerous grey stone statues lined up on both sides. The stone statues were all depicted in the same way: they all stood as straight as a candle, all had a helmet on their head that was a mixture of Asterix's helmet and the helmet of a Greek hoplite, in their right hand they held a spatha, a sword used by Roman legionnaires, and in their left hand they held a large triangular shield.  
"I've seen these signs on television before," Percy thought. "In films about the Middle Ages, whenever any rider was shown."  
Crack  
Percy took one step.  
"Percy, get down! Right away," screamed Annabeth.  
Jerkily, Percy dropped to the ground. The stone sword rushed just above his head, beheading a pair of flowers.   
He looked up and realized that half a dozen of these stone warriors were rising from their pedestals and heading for Annabeth and him.  
"Percy..."  
"Percy shouted to his girlfriend. He rolled to his side, jumped up and reached into his jeans pocket. "Well, let's see what you got." Armed with riptide, Percy sprinted towards the first stone soldier. The stone soldier parried his first blow, but also his second. Percy aimed at the head, but with a series of counterattacks he interrupted Percy's parade. The  
Stone soldier marched on and on. He kept countering Percy's punches without making any mistake or getting tired.   
"They would be really good training opportunities in Camp Halfblood," thought Percy as he continued to parry the soldier's blows. He needed an idea. Quick. Because at the thought that there were still five of these things left, Percy slowly became listless in his stomach. He noticed how he slowly got tired. Percy jumped to the side and barely escaped another sword blow.   
On sight, he saw one of the empty pedestals, and an idea went through his head.  
He lured the statue to the pedestal, jumped on it and with a somersault Percy jumped over the head of the soldier. In a flowing movement in the air, he beat the soldier in two. When he landed, he rolled to the ground and heard no more sounds behind him. At the same time he attacked the next one. He saw three soldiers pushing Annabeth under a tree.  
His gaze fell on the well next to them.   
Percy grinned.  
The soldiers hit a huge wave of water, tearing it from their feet. Annabeth avoided it by hiding behind the tree. She jumped out and with deadly precision she cut off a soldier's head from his body with her knife while Percy killed the two remaining ones.  
Draco spit fire so that a soldier's foot melted off, and he simply fell over as he marched on. His sword rolled out of his hand across the lawn, out of reach, and his shield slipped to the side. Draco jumped on his head and spit flames in his face, whereupon the soldier only shrugged briefly before he lay lifeless.  
Percy and Annabeth both grinned at each other when they had seen the play.  
They nodded at each other and sprinted towards the two remaining soldiers.   
The soldiers didn't stand their teamwork for a minute, whereupon they lay dead in the grass.  
Annabeth wiped the sweat off her forehead.   
"Who were they?" Percy groaned between his breaths. The fight had left its mark. "Annabeth gasped and walked towards one of the remains of the stone soldiers. "They were designed to protect something."  
On closer inspection, Annabeth realized that there was a piece of parchment sticking out of one of the destroyed soldiers' legs, which she stowed in her pocket.  
"Quickly away before you realize that we both devastated part of a very valuable garden," Annabeth said, and they set off for the exit.


	7. Chapter 6

The sun shone strongly on the banks of the Elbe. Percy and Annabeth were sitting on a bench near the quay, and they saw an old white green steamship slowly heading for the shore.  
It was an old personal steamer, as we know it from old movies, where a ship is sailing down the Mississippi. On one of the outer platforms, where the wheel was mounted underneath, a ship's wheel was painted on, with the headline Pillnitz.  
Slowly it approached the quay and ejected a loud, high PFFFFFFFF.  
After it docked, Annabeth and Percy went on the ship and looked for a place. They found a free table with two chairs facing each other on the port side, with Percy sitting with his back to the extra exposed ship's engine, which produced extreme heat.   
Percy was sweating over his forehead.  
"Show me again the parchment we found in the remains of the stone soldiers."  
Annabeth rolled it out on the table:  
It was empty.  
They had pulled an empty piece of parchment from a stone soldier.  
"Great piece. And so much effort for that," Percy thought.  
He and Annabeth had been worried the whole week about what the parchment might be all about. They had asked Chiron to hold it over a lamp in the hope that a secret message would come to light. Percy had even held it under a faucet, which had done nothing to the parchment.  
Draco lay under her table staring into the water, which was stirred up by the waves.  
Behind them sat a young woman, drawing the sundae she had ordered.  
Percy's gaze fell on the lady. Immediately it shot through his head.  
"Annabeth, give me a pencil."  
"Ok? What are you thinking of algae brain?""I have an idea." As absurd as it may be.  
Percy grabbed the pencil and started writing on the parchment.  
Annabeth gave a scream of horror. "Algae brain, stop! This is several thousand years old. You'll break it otherwise."  
But Percy's writing faded shortly after he had written.  
The parchment began to write itself.  
"What is your desire, son of Poseidon?", appeared there written in black ink.  
Annabeth dropped her jaw.  
"Did the parchment just answer you?"  
"Uh, yes. I think so," Percy replied.  
"How does it know that you are a son of Poseidon? Why does it do that?  
"We can think about that later. Now we need information."Percy scribbled the question 'Where is the Poseidon statue of the Atlantians' on the parchment.  
A map appeared showing a mountain range from above, just like you know it from an atlas. At one point there was a small red X.  
"Son of Poseidon, you must walk through forest and stone to find your innermost heart's desire," was under the map.  
"I know this place," Annabeth said. "That is in Saxon Switzerland, not far from here.  
The ship's whistle sounded and they reached the quay in downtown Dresden again.


	8. Chapter 7

The sun shone strongly on the banks of the Elbe. Percy and Annabeth were sitting on a bench near the quay, and they saw an old white green steamship slowly heading for the shore.  
It was an old personal steamer, as we know it from old movies, where a ship is sailing down the Mississippi. On one of the outer platforms, where the wheel was mounted underneath, a ship's wheel was painted on, with the headline Pillnitz.  
Slowly it approached the quay and ejected a loud, high PFFFFFFFF.  
After it docked, Annabeth and Percy went on the ship and looked for a place. They found a free table with two chairs facing each other on the port side, with Percy sitting with his back to the extra exposed ship's engine, which produced extreme heat.   
Percy was sweating over his forehead.  
"Show me again the parchment we found in the remains of the stone soldiers."  
Annabeth rolled it out on the table:  
It was empty.  
They had pulled an empty piece of parchment from a stone soldier.  
"Great piece. And so much effort for that," Percy thought.  
He and Annabeth had been worried the whole week about what the parchment might be all about. They had asked Chiron to hold it over a lamp in the hope that a secret message would come to light. Percy had even held it under a faucet, which had done nothing to the parchment.  
Draco lay under her table staring into the water, which was stirred up by the waves.  
Behind them sat a young woman, drawing the sundae she had ordered.  
Percy's gaze fell on the lady. Immediately it shot through his head.  
"Annabeth, give me a pencil."  
"Ok? What are you thinking of algae brain?""I have an idea." As absurd as it may be.  
Percy grabbed the pencil and started writing on the parchment.  
Annabeth gave a scream of horror. "Algae brain, stop! This is several thousand years old. You'll break it otherwise."  
But Percy's writing faded shortly after he had written.  
The parchment began to write itself.  
"What is your desire, son of Poseidon?", appeared there written in black ink.  
Annabeth dropped her jaw.  
"Did the parchment just answer you?"  
"Uh, yes. I think so," Percy replied.  
"How does it know that you are a son of Poseidon? Why does it do that?  
"We can think about that later. Now we need information."Percy scribbled the question 'Where is the Poseidon statue of the Atlantians' on the parchment.  
A map appeared showing a mountain range from above, just like you know it from an atlas. At one point there was a small red X.  
"Son of Poseidon, you must walk through forest and stone to find your innermost heart's desire," was under the map.  
"I know this place," Annabeth said. "That is in Saxon Switzerland, not far from here.  
The ship's whistle sounded and they reached the quay in downtown Dresden again.


	9. Chapter 8

"Holy Olympus, this is hot," said Percy.  
Percy continued to stomp through the Devil's Gorge. Annabeth ran in front of him and Draco ran next to them, the only one who still had half a verve in his bones.   
He sniffed here and there, sometimes accidentally spitting out a small flame when he yelled at a passing beetle.  
"Hopefully we won't cause a forest fire," Percy Annabeth had confessed when they left the hotel.  
"Oh, that won't happen," his girlfriend reassured him, "He's already made great progress in his behavior."  
This was true, but it happened again and again, like last night, when Draco unintentionally spit flames on Percy's blanket.  
To prevent major forest fires, Percy had attached a water bottle to his rucksack, which he could use to extinguish any forest fires that quickly burgeoned.  
As they climbed a stone staircase, Annabeth held the parchment in front of her nose to check if they were approaching the red X.  
They followed the steep forest path up the mountain until Annabeth suddenly shouted, "Here it is," almost running Percy into his girlfriend.  
He looked around. If you disregarded the fact that the two of them ran through a normal forest, where there were a few bushes along the way here and there or two bushes between the trees, there was surprisingly little that somehow pointed to a treasure or something.  
How much Percy was wrong.  
He ran towards a tree stump to sit down and then it happened.  
He approached that tree stump, but before he sat down, a symbol appeared on it that seemed more than familiar to him.  
The trident symbol of Poseidon appeared on the tree stump.  
Before Percy could call Annabeth, another scroll of parchment appeared with a blop at the same place.  
"Annabeth! Come here. I think I found something," he shouted to his girlfriend.  
Percy looked around to see if anyone was watching him, which was not the case.  
He unfolded the scroll:

Son of Poseidon,  
You're striving for ancient knowledge?  
As the war and the wisdom hold,  
the goddess chose the place that was destined to be   
and founded a state there first.  
In this State, you, therefore, lived under such laws and an even more perfect constitution, excellent in every virtue before all men, as could be expected of you as descendants and pupils of the gods.  
The most beautiful heroic deed which was performed by them, I will tell you.  
Challenged by an army power led by the great power of Atlantic kings who obeyed the whole island.   
as well as many other islands and parts of the mainland.   
They ruled within these borders, from Libya to Egypt, in Europe to Tyrrhenia.  
After fought battles, broke within a bad day and a bad night   
Earthquakes and floods came in over the sacred state and sank under the earth.  
In the same way, Atlantis was withdrawn from sight by sinking into the sea.


	10. Chapter 9

After they had read the parchment in the forest for the first time, they walked over the Bastei bridge.  
Well, more precisely, they groped over the Bastei Bridge in small steps so as not to collide with the man in front of them. There had been such a big turmoil on the Bastei Bridge that Percy and Annabeth had great difficulties not to be torn apart by the crowd.  
Percy had pressed Annabeth's hand harder so he wouldn't lose her.  
Annabeth involuntarily felt reminded of Tarutarus.  
The sun stood in a clear light blue sky from which it shone down onto the Bastei Bridge. A small breeze blew, which Percy very much greeted. They had already talked on the way about the contents of the parchment, but they came to no result.

"What does that mean," Percy asked himself.  
Percy was sitting in his hotel room, the parchment with the message was on the bed in front of him. Annabeth was in the bathroom getting ready for the bed.  
Percy heard Annabeth showering.   
Suddenly a woman appeared in his room with a puff.  
Percy looked up from the parchment.  
The young woman standing in front of him was slim and very beautiful. She had silky black hair and wore an elegant white dress.  
He almost confused the intense grey eyes she stared at Percy with Annabeth's eyes.   
"Oh, hi Athena."  
"Greet Percy Jackson."  
"Honey," Percy called into the bathroom. Somehow it was funny to call his girlfriend by her pet name when your girlfriend's mother is standing in front of you.  
The door to the bathroom opened.  
"What is algae - Oh hi, Mom," Annabeth said in astonishment.  
"Greet my child. Annabeth, I have seen you have found the transcript of the Critique."  
"Ah, this was written by him. I know," Percy thought in a slightly sarcastic undertone.  
"Yes?", the name didn't seem unknown to Annabeth.  
"Kritias wrote of the war. From the war of the Atlantians against Ur-Athens. He thought he was only dealing with a myth, but in truth, he wrote down the story as it had happened. You must know, before Athens, I had already founded a city. Ancient Athens. A magnificent city, no question, but the city and its remembrance of those did not survive the times, which is why it was forgotten. This is a story that has no place here. Go into the Green Vault. There you will find a clue that will help you."  
And Athena had already disappeared again.  
"I'll never get used to anything like that," Percy said.  
"Neither will I."  
"After all, we have a new clue," Percy said.  
"We're still doing something else now," Annabeth replied.  
Draco was already sleeping in his transport box. In the beginning, he had resisted a bit, but now he had got used to her.  
Annabeth pushed Percy, who was sitting at the edge of the bed, onto the bed so that she sat down on him. Percy grinned and Annabeth lost herself again in the sea green eyes of a seal baby.  
Slowly she took off her top. Annabeth helped Percy out of his clothes, whereupon she wrapped her arms around his upper body and kissed him passionately.


	11. Chapter 10

Yes, Percy and Annabeth were supposed to go to the Green Vault because Athena had told them to. And that's what they had in mind. But before that, Percy wanted to surprise his girlfriend with something that would surely please her.  
Percy took his girlfriend out to dinner in an architectural sight of the city of Dresden.  
Annabeth's eyes shone with joy as she realized where her boyfriend was taking her.  
It was a beautiful autumn evening. The air was mild, the leaves of the trees on the parking lot of the cigarette factory shone in a variety of brown shades and the factory was bathed in a warm golden light by the several lamps, giving the building an even more majestic appearance.  
"See that dome up there?" Percy asked, "Up there's the restaurant where we're going to eat."   
Percy's gaze fell on Annabeth. She was wearing a long black coat. The dress she was wearing underneath had almost made Percy speech when he saw it for the first time. Annabeth wore a black dress that went down to her knees, with a slightly deeper neckline, lined with the finest lace. She wore a small black bag with her dagger in it, a white pearl necklace and white pearl earrings.  
Her hair fell wavy on her shoulders so that her curls looked like a sea of pure gold.  
Percy wore an elegant black suit with a black bow tie and white shirt. He had made his hair as clean as possible. He also wore a coat over his suit.  
They went to the restaurant, which they reached through an elevator.   
Before they sat down at the table, they went to the terrace to enjoy the view over Dresden.  
Percy hugged Annabeth from behind and Annabeth nestled her head against Percy's shoulder.  
Silently they enjoyed this moment of togetherness.  
"I love you," Percy whispered in Annabeth's ear.  
"I love you too," Annabeth said, snuggling up to Percy even more.  
She went in and ordered her food.  
It became one of the best dates ever.


	12. Chapter 11

Yes, Percy and Annabeth were supposed to go to the Green Vault because Athena had told them to. And that's what they had in mind. But before that, Percy wanted to surprise his girlfriend with something that would surely please her.  
Percy took his girlfriend out to dinner in an architectural sight of the city of Dresden.  
Annabeth's eyes shone with joy as she realized where her boyfriend was taking her.  
It was a beautiful autumn evening. The air was mild, the leaves of the trees on the parking lot of the cigarette factory shone in a variety of brown shades and the factory was bathed in a warm golden light by the several lamps, giving the building an even more majestic appearance.  
"See that dome up there?" Percy asked, "Up there's the restaurant where we're going to eat."   
Percy's gaze fell on Annabeth. She was wearing a long black coat. The dress she was wearing underneath had almost made Percy speech when he saw it for the first time. Annabeth wore a black dress that went down to her knees, with a slightly deeper neckline, lined with the finest lace. She wore a small black bag with her dagger in it, a white pearl necklace and white pearl earrings.  
Her hair fell wavy on her shoulders so that her curls looked like a sea of pure gold.  
Percy wore an elegant black suit with a black bow tie and white shirt. He had made his hair as clean as possible. He also wore a coat over his suit.  
They went to the restaurant, which they reached through an elevator.   
Before they sat down at the table, they went to the terrace to enjoy the view over Dresden.  
Percy hugged Annabeth from behind and Annabeth nestled her head against Percy's shoulder.  
Silently they enjoyed this moment of togetherness.  
"I love you," Percy whispered in Annabeth's ear.  
"I love you too," Annabeth said, snuggling up to Percy even more.  
She went in and ordered her food.  
It became one of the best dates ever.


	13. Chapter 12

Yes, Percy and Annabeth were supposed to go to the Green Vault because Athena had told them to. And that's what they had in mind. But before that, Percy wanted to surprise his girlfriend with something that would surely please her.  
Percy took his girlfriend out to dinner in an architectural sight of the city of Dresden.  
Annabeth's eyes shone with joy as she realized where her boyfriend was taking her.  
It was a beautiful autumn evening. The air was mild, the leaves of the trees on the parking lot of the cigarette factory shone in a variety of brown shades and the factory was bathed in a warm golden light by the several lamps, giving the building an even more majestic appearance.  
"See that dome up there?" Percy asked, "Up there's the restaurant where we're going to eat."   
Percy's gaze fell on Annabeth. She was wearing a long black coat. The dress she was wearing underneath had almost made Percy speech when he saw it for the first time. Annabeth wore a black dress that went down to her knees, with a slightly deeper neckline, lined with the finest lace. She wore a small black bag with her dagger in it, a white pearl necklace and white pearl earrings.  
Her hair fell wavy on her shoulders so that her curls looked like a sea of pure gold.  
Percy wore an elegant black suit with a black bow tie and white shirt. He had made his hair as clean as possible. He also wore a coat over his suit.  
They went to the restaurant, which they reached through an elevator.   
Before they sat down at the table, they went to the terrace to enjoy the view over Dresden.  
Percy hugged Annabeth from behind and Annabeth nestled her head against Percy's shoulder.  
Silently they enjoyed this moment of togetherness.  
"I love you," Percy whispered in Annabeth's ear.  
"I love you too," Annabeth said, snuggling up to Percy even more.  
She went in and ordered her food.  
It became one of the best dates ever.


	14. Chapter 14

They walked through the Green Vault and looked at a picture of a Chinese emperor, with his court.  
They walked through the exhibition and looked from here to there. They looked at the models of different ships, different paintings which showed the everyday life of the nobles of that time, and also different vases and other small things.  
"Still no sign," Percy thought. "What exactly are we looking for?"  
"I don't know. Somehow we'll find something."  
Annabeth and Percy left the exhibition and went to the museum shop.  
Upon entering the museum shop, Percy suddenly had a twitch.  
He looked around.  
It was a room with all kinds of souvenirs for tourists. The shelves were stuffed with snow globes, calendars, cups with tourist motifs, postcards, and key rings.  
Percy's gaze fell on the small statue behind the counter. More precisely, the Poseidon statue standing behind the saleswoman.  
He didn't know why, but he felt like he was in the right place.   
Percy walked up to the counter and looked at the saleswoman.  
The salesgirl was a young woman sitting in a wheelchair with her feet wrapped in a blanket, which reminded Percy of Chiron sitting in a wheelchair. She had a beautiful face decorated with black hair and wore a white blouse.  
Percy spoke politely to her about the little figure standing behind the counter.  
"Um, excuse me, I have a question. Is that little Poseidon statue standing behind them for sale," Percy asked.  
"Son of Poseidon, you challenge me, daughter of Typhon and Echidna?" she hissed into a sneaky, slightly shrill voice. "You desire your father's holy one from Atlantis?"  
Percy had his confirmation. That was somehow easier than expected.  
The statue I was looking for stood there. Not two meters away from him.  
"How do you know who I am?"  
"I smell your demigod blood," hissed the woman. "I am the Sphinx.  
Of course. Once again he of all people meets a monster.  
Annabeth looked at him as if she wanted to say: we cannot risk a fight in a museum shop.   
"Doesn't the Sphinx-like riddles?" Annabeth asked the woman.  
"Smart, smart. Just like your mother, Athena's child," said the woman, facing Annabeth.  
"I have a suggestion: pose us your most difficult riddle. When we solve it, you give us the statue. How about it?" Annabeth asked the woman.  
The woman laughs. "Child of Athena, even you are not so clever as to be able to solve my riddles. But well, I'll give you a riddle that no mortal has ever solved. I won't miss that fun. If you don't know the answer, I'll strangle you on the spot. So much be said," the woman threatened.  
Percy gave Annabeth a big-eyed look, saying, "Are you sure about what you're doing?  
Annabeth nodded.  
The woman cleared her throat: "What is it that is gifted with one voice, that soon becomes four-legged, two-legged and three-legged?  
Annabeth laughed. "You asked Oedipus the same question, don't you remember? An answer is a man. As a toddler he crawls on all fours, as an adult he walks on two legs, and in old age, he needs a stick as a third leg."  
The woman started screaming and swearing. Suddenly a flash of light lit up the whole room and the woman had disappeared.  
"Typically Sphinx. If you know her answer, she throws herself to her death," Annabeth replied. Percy grabbed the statue and immediately filled herself connected to the ocean. He heard the sound of the waves and felt the power of his father.  
Old, venerable magic flowed through Percy's body.  
"That's her," Percy shouted triumphantly and put her in his pocket.


	15. Chapter 15

It was a cold December night.  
Annabeth hooked up with Percy as they made their way to Dresden's Striezelmarkt. Annabeth was wearing her black coat, a thick scarf and a red bobble hat and Percy were also wearing a dark blue coat, a scarf, and a green hat.  
The alleys and streets of Dresden were festively decorated with Christmas decorations.  
Finally, they stood in front of the famous Christmas market. In front of them stretched a labyrinth of festively decorated, brightly lit huts and shops that had offered all kinds of things. The scent of gingerbread and mulled wine was in the air.  
In the middle of the square, a towering decorated Christmas tree shone in all colors.  
A little further back one could hear the joyful sounds of children driving on a children's carousel.  
Annabeth dragged Percy to the first stand and bought him a Santa Claus cap, which he more or less willingly put on.  
When Percy put on the cap, Annabeth interpreted it.  
Percy's gaze fell on the mistletoe that hung over them.  
"Why can't I get rid of the feeling that you planned this?"  
Annabeth grinned mischievously, embraced him and kissed him.  
Percy saw the glow in Annabeth's eyes, which he couldn't refuse.  
Suddenly a snowflake landed directly on Annabeth's nose.  
It began to snow.  
All people stretched their heads to the sky, excited towards the snow, while Percy held Annabeth tightly in his arms.  
They walked back and forth between the shops, listening to a children's choir singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas". Percy and Annabeth paused briefly to listen to the children.  
The snowfall intensified so that he soon dipped the entire Christmas market into a white blanket of snow.  
Percy bought a hot chocolate and shared it with Annabeth. Together they thought about what gifts to buy for their friends.  
After doing the shopping, they looked at the elaborately carved nativity scene.   
"Seaweed brain," Annabeth said. Immediately she held a gift under his nose, what she had pulled out of her pocket.  
"All the best for Christmas."  
"All the best for Christmas," Percy said gratefully and opened her gift. It was a new pair of swimming goggles.  
"Thank you very much, darling. I have one for you, too," he said and handed her a scroll. Annabeth unfurled it and read:  
Hi Annabeth,  
I didn't know exactly how to ask you, that's why. Do you want to move in with me? I want to live with you because I don't want to live a second without you anymore."  
Annabeth looked up: "This will be your biggest adventure so far, Seaweed brain. Be prepared for it."   
She kissed him so passionately, which meant nothing but yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole story was a gift for someone very special. I hope you read it. I hope you like it. You know, how much you mean to me!


End file.
